


The Lab By Moonlight

by MaeveBran



Series: From the Angel Files [13]
Category: Bones (TV), Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Background Femslash, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-16
Updated: 2007-02-20
Packaged: 2018-02-25 18:10:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 7,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2631341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaeveBran/pseuds/MaeveBran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The continuing adventures of Willow, the Squint.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Slime

**Author's Note:**

> Set in my slightly AU season 5 Angelverse. Part of the "Willow, the Squint" subseries, continuing after "Dance of Sorrows" and "Our Mrs. Addy".

Willow was up to her gloved wrists in some sort of slime. She had volunteered to help Dr. Jack Hodgins when there wasn't much else to do. She wasn't sure just what she was sifting through, and she was positive she didn't want to know. 

"Note to self, never volunteer to help the bug and slime guy ever again," Willow muttered to herself. She loved her internship at the Jeffersonian, but this was one of the drawbacks. No matter how many times she had been covered in demon guts and stuff in high school, she never got used to it. She especially never reveled in it like Hodgins did. Hodgins seemed to enjoy grossing out the ladies he worked with. Since Dr. Brennan didn't get squeamish over much, that really meant Hodgins enjoyed grossing out Angela and herself. 

Speaking of which, there seemed to be this odd flirtation going on between Hodgins and Angela. One would almost miss it if one weren't attuned to such things, but having been blind in the past had caused Willow to be on the look out so she wouldn't make that blunder again.

The one relationship everyone was sure was going to happen, eventually, was Dr. Temperance Brennan and her FBI partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth. The 'eventually' part was because both were stubborn, and Brennan needed to forgive Booth for nearly doing it with Buffy while under a mystical influence at a Halloween party. *That* had happened on Halloween itself and it was now early December. How much longer could this go on before it blew up in their faces? 

Willow continued to muse on the love lives of those in the lab so she wouldn't have to think about just what she was washing out for Hodgins. Her own love life was going quite well, thank you.

She thought of Toni and smiled. Now there was a topic to take her mind off of the gross, disgusting, and dirty task before her.


	2. The Lab By Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow worked late at the Jeffersonian one night.

Willow stood examining the results of her latest program. The results were exactly what she wanted them to be. Buffy would be pleased with the new training software. Only if the new Watcher's Council would purchase a holographic projector, though, to run the program. Willow had stayed after everyone else had left for the last couple of weeks to work on the program, and to see it work correctly was rewarding.

Willow looked around the moonlit lab to see if there might be someone else working late, but no joy. Everyone was gone, even Dr. Brennan and her assistant Zack Addy were at home. Zack's being gone might have some thing to do with the fact he was recently married, of course. Gone were the days when Zack would stay till two or three in the morning just to impress Dr. Brennan. Dawn would never stand for that.

It was probably for the best. Now, if only Agent Booth could teach Dr. Brennan that there was more to life than the lab! The only reason Dr. Brennan wasn't here now was that they had just wrapped up their most recent case earlier that afternoon. 

Willow stood up from the stool she had been sitting on while at the Angelator and walked out to main room. It was bathed in moonlight and shadows. The moon was full and shining through the skylight. The full moon always reminded Willow of Oz, her only boyfriend-- the werewolf.

She smiled at the thought of Oz. He would have been impressed at the last bit of coding in her 3-D vampire slayer training program; after all, they had been computer geeks before becoming werewolf and witch. Willow paused to send positive energy to Oz where ever he might be now. Then she changed out of her lab coat and grabbed her purse. 

She left the Jeffersonian and looked at her watch, deciding that it wasn't too late to call her girlfriend, Toni.


	3. Dry Bones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow muses on the nastier aspects of her job.

Booth brought in a badly decomposed body. Willow grimaced. She hated it when there were still bits attached to the bones.

After going over every possible detail, Dr. Brennan finally ordered her assistant, Zack Addy, to deflesh the bones. Willow was much happier after that-- less of an ick factor. Dry bones were much pleasanter to work with. Not that Willow had much to do with the bones, as she was there mostly for learning the holographic computer programming. Occasionally, though, Angela Montenegro, her actual boss, required Willow's help imputing the data from the bones into the Angelator.

After fighting pus spewing demons and dissecting baby bezoars and such for seven and a half years, Willow was ready to get out of the yuck business, but apparently that was not going to happen any time soon. Vampire dust was one thing, but bones with stuff, definitely not her thing.

Angela finished entering the information to search for the newest victim's identity, then turned the skull over to Willow to take back to Dr. Brennan. Willow didn't mind handling a dry skull, after all some of the spells she had preformed-- back in the day-- had called for the use of bones. Come to think of it, the spells had called for some pretty sick ingredients like smelly yak cheese to be stored in her bra or the vino de madre (from the spell to bring Buffy back) but somehow those ingredients hadn't seemed so gross. So she supposed she could get used to the not so dry corpses.

On the other hand, apparently Agent Booth hadn't gotten used to it either from comments that he had made recently. Booth had been a sniper and had been a FBI agent for at least eight years so maybe she wouldn't lose to much face if she never got used to it, either.


	4. Fallout From the Fallout Shelter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow emails Buffy with an update during the Christmas quarantine at the Jeffersonian. Takes place during the Bones episode "Man in the Fallout Shelter".

To: slayercommathe@watchers.net  
From: computerwitch@jeffersonian.edu  
Date: December 23, 2005 10:00pm  
Subject: I won't be home for the break.

Buffy,

First of all, Merry Christmas, Happy Winter Solstice, and Happy Hanukkah.

Secondly, Zack sends Season's Greetings to Dawn.

Now for the real reason for this email. I won't be able to make it to Vegas for the holidays as I am currently quarantined in the lab. It is a rather funny story and I had to write to you to explain.

It all started at about 6pm, when Agent Booth had a body brought in. The company Christmas party was in full swing. Dr. Jack Hodgins went to the party, but Crystal from accounting was chasing him so he brought some eggnog back to the lab. He was drinking it next to Zack when Zack cut into the bones. Unfortunately, it was contaminated with Valley Fever spores. Hodgins inhaled them and probably exhaled them all over the rest of us so here we are quarantined until sometime on Christmas Day.

Dr. Goodman, Hodgins, Zack, Booth, Dr. Brennan, Angela and I are all here together. I haven't been a part of such a strange group of people for a spontaneous sleepover since your twenty-first birthday. Remember that? When Dawn made that unfortunate wish? The next couple of days promise to be equally interesting.

Angela wants Dr. Brennan and I to help her make Christmas for the others. I had to remind her that 'Hello, Jewish'. So I'm off the hook. Dr. Brennan doesn't seem to be much for Christmas either. She is, however, determined to solve the mystery of the body that Booth brought in.

I'll do what I can but I'm not much help. The body was found in a sealed fallout shelter with a bullet in the head. It seemed a straight-forward suicide, but Dr. Brennan said it wasn't so there is a mystery to solve. So think of me stuck here with a bunch of scientists for a few days as you and the Scoobies and slayers celebrate.

Willow.


	5. The Compass in the Lab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow has Captain Jack Sparrow's compass. Takes place during the Bones episode "The Woman at the Airport".

The main lab area was strangely silent, as Dr. Temperance Brennan was out in Los Angeles with Special Agent Seeley Booth on a case. Zack Addy and Dr. Jack Hodgins were bored and racing beetles. But the area assigned to Angela Montenegro and her student Willow Rosenberg was humming with activity.

They were working on an assignment from Dr. Goodman for another part of the museum. The Jeffersonian Institute wasn't just a forensic lab, it had a museum too. Their assignment was to create an interactive computer display on pirate navigation. The assortment of maps, sextants, compasses and other paraphernalia was taking up much of the available horizontal surfaces of the room.

Angela was at the controls of the display unit commonly referred to as the Angelator, since she had designed and built it and its programming. Willow was handling the scanning duties for each item. The program they were working on now included a fictional pirate ship called the "Jefferson" for visitors to try to plot a course to sail from Port Royal to Tortuga using the various instruments. It had a feature that would scan the person who wanted to try out the navigational instruments and project them into the simulation, appropriately attired, then with the aid of a joy stick they'd pick up a tool and a little window would pop up describing the tool and how to use it. Then the person would maneuver the tool into position and plot the course. For the program to work, there needed to be accurate information on what each tool looked like, thus the reason for the scans. 

Willow picked up a small square case with the corners rounded. It was too small to be anything but a compass so she opened it. Sure enough ,it was a compass, but the needle wasn't pointing north.

"Angela, we need a different compass. This one is broken. It doesn't point north," Willow said.

"Let me see it." Angela put down the controls, then came over and took the compass that Willow handed her. She examined it for a few minutes before speaking again. "I know what this is. When I was in Jamaica a few years ago, I heard of a legend of a compass that didn't point North, but to the thing you most desire in all the world." 

She and Willow watched as the needle swung crazily around and didn't stop. "I guess that confirms that I don't know what I want. You give it try," Angela said as she handed it back to Willow.

Willow took the compass and watched as the needle pointed toward the door. While Willow was trying to decide what that might mean, Toni Wood, dressed in her courier's uniform, stepped into the doorway.

Willow smiled. The compass had confirmed what Willow had been thinking about for weeks.


	6. A Superhero's Funeral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow gets ready to attend another funeral. Takes place at the end of the Bones episode "Superhero in the Alley".

Willow stood looking in her mirror at home. She was dressed all in black again. It wasn't the kind of black for breaking and entering, no, it was the much sadder black for a funeral. This time it was for Warren Granger, the eighteen year old victim in Special Agent Seeley Booth's latest case.

Willow had felt an instant sympathy for Warren as he was only a few years younger then herself and had been a loner geek. She could relate, for that was what she had been pre-Buffy. Willow had had the chance to grow past that into a pretty and relatively popular witch. Warren would never have the chance to do any of that.

The name Warren also had unpleasant associations for Willow. A year and a half ago she had flayed and killed Warren Meers. Both Warrens had died too soon, one for trying to defend a battered wife from her abusive husband, the other for killing Willow's lover. Willow still felt guilt over the latter, and she believed she should, but the guilt no longer crippled her. She knew she had something in common with Booth though she never expressed it, for she knew he'd never understand; Booth killed for his country but she had for revenge. 

Willow shook off the guilt-filled thoughts that she felt gathering like a storm and returned to thinking of Warren Granger. The teenager who had been dying and still managed, without superpowers, to stick up for a woman in need. She supposed that that could be considered a superpower too. 

Willow had just finished getting dressed when Toni, her current girlfriend came into the room. She was also dressed for the funeral. Toni had managed to take a few hours off to pay her respects to a man who tried to do what she did every night-- save the innocent from the forces of darkness. Toni was a Slayer and fought actual demons and vampires, but Warren had fought a man who behaved like a demon. One warrior to another was how both Willow and Toni saw this gesture.

"Ready to go?" Toni asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be to bury one so young. I've had my fill of death." Willow said as she grasped Toni's hand. They left the apartment.


	7. Lucky WIllow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow thinks on her latest streak of luck. Set during "Woman in the Garden".

Willow was amused. Dr. Jack Hodgins had asked Special Agent Seeley Booth for a gun. Booth looked from Hodgins to Dr. Temperance Brennan and back and muttered something about squints wanting guns. The look on his face spoke volumes of bewilderment, amusement, and that the likelihood of that ever happening was small at best.

Willow would probably be the only squint to never ask for a gun. She agreed with her friend, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that guns were never useful. Willow had more power than a mere gun. She had finally gained control of her magic and could do things to defend herself and others.

Willow had been lucky to have no need of those powers since coming to Washington D.C. She hadn't been involved in any apocalypses since that last one in Sunnydale in May. Nine months and no apocalypse on the horizon almost had Willow feeling confident that that was all behind her. She wasn't foolish enough to actually voice that thought aloud, however, and jinx herself into another apocalypse.

That calm was changing as her girlfriend, Toni Wood, was beginning slayer training under the Watchful eye of Dawn Summers-Addy. That was also a lucky break-- Dawn marrying Zack in Vegas around New Year's. They had decided to give marriage a good try and stay married. Dawn had been training to be a Watcher since Sunnydale and Toni would be her slayer. Dawn was a bit young and under-qualified but since the Council had been blown up, Giles was willing to let a half trained Watcher be in the field, especially since the Watcher in question was Buffy's sister and had been on ground zero for the fight against the First.

Willow was startled out of her reverie as Angela Montenegro, her boss, asked for her help. Time to actually earn her keep, Willow thought as she moved off to do just that.


	8. A Mother's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow realizes that her parents might not be as bad as she thought. Takes place during the Bones episode "The Man on the Fairway".

Willow had known, since Christmas, about Dr. Temperance Brennan's parents' disappearance. She knew, too, that the case with Jesse Kane's missing father was going to hit close to home for Dr. Brennan. Nothing hurt like issues involving parents, Willow knew.

While Shelia Rosenberg was around, she didn't pay much attention to Willow. Shelia had, in fact, been part of a crowd that had almost burned Willow, Amy and Buffy at the stake for being witches. Fortunately, the other Scoobies had been able to break the spell on the mob and put out the fire before they got hurt. Willow didn't know which would be worse, having loving parents who disappear or parents who are present but apathetic.

Joyce Summers, Buffy's mom, had been more of a mother to Willow than Shelia had in many ways. The fact that Joyce had spearheaded the group of people who had tried to burn them hadn't been Joyce's fault. When Joyce had died three years ago it had been like Willow had lost her mother as well. After Joyce's death, Willow had stopped in more often to see her own mother but the gap between them never really narrowed to a crossable distance. Shelia was proud, for awhile, of her lesbian daughter but that wore out before Tara had died. Willow knew where her parents went when they left Sunnydale in the great exodus last May but she hadn't really kept in touch.

Willow tore herself out of her maudlin thoughts and concentrated on writing her portion of the schematic to see if the skull fragment was part of Max Kane. When she finished, she ran it, and it determined that the fragment possibly was Max Kane's. They couldn't exclude it. 

Willow decided now might be a good time to call her mom, so she dialed the Los Angeles number.

"Hi, Mom. It's Willow," she said when Shelia answered.

"Willow, honey, it is good to hear from you. How is... wherever it is you are these days?" Shelia inquired.

"I'm in Washington D.C. at the Jeffersonian Institute. And I'm great. I love my job and the people I work with. In fact...." Willow started to relay that she worked for Dr. Temperance Brennan, but her mother cut her off.

"That's great. I have got to go. I've got a lecture to give at UCLA in an hour," Shelia said. "I'll be in DC next week, how about I drop by the Jeffersonian and we have lunch?"

"Sounds good. I love you, Mom. Give my love to Dad," Willow said.

"I love you too. Bye," Shelia rushed and hung up.

Willow hung up the phone and smiled. Her mother may be distant but she knew that Shelia meant it when she said she loved Willow. Willow smiled and went back to work.


	9. No Dead Bones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow worries about Dr. Brennan. Set during the last half of the Bones episode "Two Bodies in the Lab".

After all that had happened the last few days, Willow was worried for Dr. Brennan. The news that Agent Kenton had taken her to who knows where and was doing who knows what to her was alarming. Normally one wouldn't worry about Dr. Brennan but her knight in shining FBI standard issue body armor was laid up in the hospital.

Willow didn't see how Brennan was going to survive this, but she had finally accepted that death was a part of life. The lesson was hard learned. First with Buffy's death, Willow had not accepted it and found the Urn of Osiris and brought her back. Then with Tara, Willow had tried to call on Osiris again, but that had failed. Then Willow had gone all black and veiny and flayed Warren alive. The long road back from magic addiction and accepting of death was a process that Willow was still working through. Although she didn't want Dr. Brennan to be another lesson, Willow was prepared for it.

A few minutes later a call came from Dr. Jack Hodgins telling the waiting worried squints, Willow included, that he and Special Agent Seeley Booth, the afore mentioned knight in shining FBI standard issue body armor, were on their way to save Dr. Brennan. How much good Booth was in his present blown up condition, she couldn't imagine-- but then again, no one in their right mind would come between Booth and his partner. That was just stupid and Agent Kenton should know that so maybe he was just desperate. 

Willow waited for news with Dr. Goodman, the head of the Jeffersonian, Zack Addy, Dr. Brennan's assistant, and Angela Montenegro, Willow's boss. It seemed like both forever and no time at all before Hodgins called to tell them that they had gotten there in time and there was no need to worry any longer. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the next dead body they would see was a case not one of their friends.


	10. Pirate Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To Willow's amusement, the men of the Jeffersonian and Booth bond over pirate treasure. Set during the Bones episode "Man with the Bone".

The words "pirate" and "arrr" were still ringing in Willow's ears when she got to work later that day. Men and pirates, what was so fascinating about them? She remembered the year Xander Harris had dressed up like a pirate; he had never stopped saying "Arrr."

Of course, that had also been the day that he and Anya had announced their engagement. Everyone had been happy that day, well, except for Dawn. Dawn had snuck out with her best friend and met up with two guys who had turned out to be vampires. Buffy hadn't been pleased to find her little sister necking with a vamp. Willow had been happy, too, until Tara had gotten on her case about too much magic. But by and large the Scoobies had been happy. The fight with the First hadn't taken its toll yet, nor had Tara been killed, and Willow hadn't gone all black and veiny and tried to destroy the world. So many memories were bonded to the image of Xander as a pirate. 

Special Agent Seeley Booth, Dr. Jack Hodgins, and Zack Addy were apparently bonding over a love of pirates, too. Booth usually ignored Hodgins's ideas, but he was actually listening to the idea of Blackbeard's treasure. Willow had yet to figure out what drew men to pirates. Sure, she enjoyed the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Captain Jack Sparrow was fun, but she had no wish to be a pirate.

Somehow Hodgins got the pirate bug so bad that he went back to the site in hopes of another dive. It seemed that he had bonded with the chief diver of the salvage company. His hopes of finding treasure were sure to be disappointed, but the pirate bug had struck.

Willow was surprised when Hodgins came back with a gold coin. So maybe the guys knew something after all.


	11. With a LIttle Help From My Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Squints, Willow, and Booth rally around Angela in her time of need. Set during the Bones episode "The Skull in the Desert".

Willow had heard the quiver of fear in Angela Montenegro's voice when she asked to talk to Dr. Temperance Brennan, her best friend, alone. Willow knew something was wrong. She sent out a silent prayer to the Goddess Gaia for calming to Angela. Willow feared there was not much she could do, but she knew Brennan would take care of it.

She was the only one not surprised when Brennan took an impromptu vacation to the desert. Willow would have done the same if her best friend, Buffy Summers, had called sounding like that. The thing that surprised Willow was that Special Agent Seeley Booth dropped everything and flew out to the desert because Brennan called. It did confirm what she had suspected for months, the FBI Agent had feelings for the Forensic Anthropologist.

When the skull arrived later the next afternoon, Willow was on her own to do the skull reconstruction after Zack Addy, Dr. Brennan's grad student, and Dr. Jack Hodgins, the bug, slime and dirt guy, finished with the skull. She came up with a picture that resembled Kirk Persinger, but didn't exactly match like Angela's would have. Fortunately, DNA came back with an exact match to Kirk so they didn't have to rely on Willow's work. The news of the match confirmed Willow's fears. She paused to send some comforting vibes Angela's way. Willow knew that it wouldn't make much difference, but having been in the position of losing a lover, a little difference might be enough to keep Angela from going over the edge like Willow had.

Willow knew that Booth and Brennan were doing all they could for Angela out in New Mexico, so she focused on helping get the answers back in the lab. Dr. Goodman, the Director of the Jeffersonian Institute, and Hodgins were giving Zack a hard time. Willow understood the motivation behind this, to get Zack to finish at least one of his two in progress doctorates, but she feared that that might back fire.


	12. Of Voodoo Curses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow runs up against a different kind of curse: Voodoo. Set during the Bones episode "The Man in the Morgue".

Special Agent Seeley Booth was in New Orleans, and Angela Montenegro, Willow's teacher, and Zack Addy, Dr. Brennan's assistant, were at the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C., and all three were having a conversation over the speaker phone. Willow couldn't exactly help overhearing when Booth had responded to Angela's question about why Brennan wasn't coming home yet with an answer about Brennan being cursed with Voodoo Amnesia.

Willow shook her head. She thought she had finished with curses last year when she had had to recurse Angel with his soul. But that was another story that Willow wasn't going to dwell on now. Instead, she thought on Angel's look-a-like, Agent Booth, and his forensic anthropologist. 

Willow knew nothing about Voodoo curses but she hoped they'd be able break it before too long. If it went on too long, she could always call Giles in Vegas, but she didn't want to bug him for something that might straighten itself out before she could reach him. Giles could be in England gathering the last of the Old Watchers Council assets, or he could be somewhere else in the world chasing down a newly found Slayer. Theoretically, Giles could be at home, but the last couple of times she had called he hadn't been in and returned her calls days later.

A couple of days later, both Booth and Brennan were gathered with Angela, Zack, Dr. Jack Hodgins, and Willow in Brennan's office. Brennan still had no memory of the missing twenty-four hours. She tried a rational explanation but Booth said there were no drugs in her blood work. Brennan then tried to say that maybe she was too traumatized to remember anything, but Angela pointed out that Brennan was too strong for that line of reasoning. Willow, personally, agreed and, from the nods around the room, so did everyone else. Willow found the Voodoo theory as plausible as any.


	13. The Art of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow is involved in the case of Amy Cullen. Set during the Bones episode "The Graft in the Girl".

Willow couldn't believe the speed at which the cancer had spread in the bone graft recipients. The illness was killing otherwise healthy people in less than a year. Didn't it take years to die of cancer? That was the way it always sounded on the news. Amy Cullen was dying after only a year with her graft. No treatments were working. It just wasn't fair. 

Willow became even more determined than usual to find a solution. Amy reminded her of her best friend, Buffy Summers. Buffy's determination to fight when the outcome seemed already decided, like the time with the Master, was like what Amy exhibited in fighting this cancer. Buffy had known the prophecy about her death but had faced the Master anyway, and she was still here. Okay, so Buffy had died that night, but their friend, Xander Harris, had preformed CPR and Buffy was still here. So Buffy had died a second time and this time Willow herself had resurrected her, but the point was Buffy had fought and was still fighting and Amy was fighting. Why couldn't Amy survive her battles, too?

Willow noticed that she wasn't the only one affected. Her teacher, Angela Montenegro, seemed to be taken in as well. Amy displayed a talent that drew Angela's artistic side to her as a fellow artist. Willow was more than happy to digitize the painting that Amy had given Angela and help set up the equipment to project it on the hospital wall. She was extremely gratified by the look of wonder on Amy's face as the girl realized just what fun computers could be.

While Angela and Willow were trying to make some of Amy’s dreams come true, Special Agent Seeley Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan worked on solving who had done this to Amy. They succeeded, and in the process saved several people from the same fate, but that didn’t save Amy. Angela felt guilty because there was nothing more she could do, so Dr. Jack Hodgins suggested that she build the Louvre digitally so Amy could see another dream come true. Willow thought this was an excellent idea and helped gather the pictures for input into the program. Nothing could heal Amy, but at least they had made her happy for a little while.


	14. Heroes in the Jeffersonian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow and the Squints deal with a death at Arlington National Cemetery. Set during the Bones episode "The Soldier on the Grave".

Willow knew bad things were coming and that the next few days would be like a vacation in a Hell dimension. The newest case the team was working on was a person who was found torched on a grave at Arlington National Cemetery. That was not the bad, however. The bad was that Dr. Jack Hodgins was an outspoken conspiracy theorist and critic of the government and Special Agent Seeley Booth was former military and a supporter of the government. The fact that they both had to work this case was going to be bad and uncomfortable. 

Not to mention that the case was hitting too close to home for Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan was trying to keep him objective. Willow hoped this didn't end as badly as it looked like it would. This was looking to be a disagreement on the level of the time Buffy knew she might have to kill Anya for the way she was going about being a vengeance demon, and Xander had been trying to find another solution. That had ended well, at least for Anya, as she hadn't died, though D'Hoffryn had killed Halfrek instead. Willow was reassured that no matter how Booth and Hodgins disagreed at least no one was going to die.

Willow was grateful when Angela Montenegro, her teacher and friend, noticed the tension and stepped in. Angela talked to Hodgins, who seemed to actually listened. Willow was going to have to keep an eye on that couple to see what developed. Angel also encouraged Brennan to be there for Booth, not to spout anthropology texts at him. Every one seemed to be dealing with the case all right. 

Hodgins not only listened, but also offered an olive branch to Booth. Willow knew that Hodgins actually liked the FBI man as a friend and was happy to see it expressed. She decided that both Angela and Hodgins were heroes in their own way for being there for friends. That was one lesson Willow had learned on the Hellmouth-- heroes didn't just save the world, they cared about the people in that world too.


	15. The Zeppo Redux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow falls into Xander's usual role-- snack go getter. Set during the Bones episode "Woman in Limbo".

Willow stared as Dr. Temperance Brennan seemed to go nuts just looking at the holographic recreation of the latest Jane Doe. Willow almost agreed with Zack's assessment of possible caffeine intolerance. That theory made as much sense as any. Then Special Agent Seeley Booth came in and made a phone call. He canceled Dr. Brennan's court appearance and then explained that the Jane Doe was actually Christine Brennan. Willow was shocked at that revelation. She knew about Brennan’s heartache but had thought that someday they would find her parents alive. 

Willow was more determined than ever to help solve the case and ease the heartache. There had been people Willow had lost for no good reason to natural causes and she had also lost loved ones to murder. In the latter case there was still something that could be done-- just as long as it didn’t involve flaying someone alive, or even dead. It might make you feel like you were doing something but in the long run it leads to black eyes and veins and trying to destroy the world. 

If it was possible to prevent that Willow was willing to do anything. Everyone else apparently agreed. Zack had briefly called his wife, Dawn formerly Summers, and explained why he wasn’t coming home. Zack reported that she said for him to stay as long as necessary to solve this one. Willow understood that she was thinking of her mother's death. Joyce Summer's death had hit everybody in their gang, but it had been hardest on Dawn.

Willow had been trying to find away to lessen Dr. Brennan’s sorrow since the case about Jesse Kane’s dad a couple months but nothing had come up. Here was something tangible she could do. There was not much call for the computer knowledge that Willow had, but she could make sure that those who knew more had enough caffeine and snacks to get through this.

Willow now understood how Xander had felt their senior year, being relegated to fetching doughnuts and snacks. Willow was too much of a feminist to do that on a regular basis, but she was smart enough to know when it was the best way she could help.


	16. A New Boss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow and the Squints get a new boss. Set during the Bones season 2 episode "Titan on the Tracks".

Willow stared at Dr. Camille Saroyan as she talked to Special Agent Seeley Booth. There was definitely a history between the two of them. The way Dr. Saroyan kept touching him and the way he smiled at her spoke volumes of about their past. It was clear that they obviously had a sexual relationship of some kind, but it was past-- although Dr. Saroyan looked like she wouldn't mind if they resumed that relationship. Willow supposed that if Oz ever came back into her life again she might act in similar fashion. Goodness knows that Buffy and Angel, even though they tried to fight it, acted like Dr. Saroyan

Willow was not disposed to like the new boss lady, since Dr. Saroyan had tried calling her a Willow Tree on the first day in the lab. Willow had thrown the resolved face at the new boss and told her to go to stuff it. Fortunately, Dr. Saroyan had backed off and left the red head to her lessons from Angela Montenegro.

Willow had been with her teacher in encouraging the possibility of a relationship between Dr. Temperance Brennan and Booth, so to have this past flame turn up in a position of authority really irked Willow. She was possessive of her people and some how over the last nine months these lab rats and the FBI man had become her people as much as the Scoobies had ever been her people. Willow got jealous of the time others took her people away and Dr. Saroyan was taking Booth away.

The only way around that jealous feeling was if Dr. Saroyan became a part of Willow’s people. The last person that had reluctantly been admitted was Sam Finn. Willow had been all prepared to hate Mrs. Finn for Buffy’s sake, but in the end even Buffy had liked Sam. Maybe this new boss would be like Mrs. Finn. Willow decided to give her a chance.


	17. Master of Puppets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow hears about the strange happenings in LA.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Out of sequence; set after the Angel episode "Smile Time" (Ats 5.12) and Bones episode 1.12 "The Woman in the Car".

Willow had taken some much needed time from the most recent case. The air around Special Agent Seeley Booth was getting super-charged. A little boy was missing and that was pushing his father buttons. There wasn't a lot Willow could do so she was holed up in the holographics area checking her email. There was one waiting in her in box.

* * *

To:computerwitch@jeffersonian.edu  
From:slayercommathe@watchers.net  
Subject: FWD: Fun pictures to share.

Hey, Willow.

Spike sent this to me. They are about the funniest pictures I have ever seen. Do you recognize the main subject?

Buffy.

* * *

To:slayercommathe@watchers.net  
From:williamthebloody@wolframhart.com  
Subject: Fun pictures to share.

Here are some amusing pictures of Peaches. I know you have feelings for the lout but you should find these funny.

Later pet,  
Spike

* * *

Willow downloaded the half dozen or so pictures attached. Spike was right, they were pretty funny. Spike had even included captions. Her favorite was a screen capture of the kids show Smile Time, which had Angel the puppet on top of a dog house with a large sword heroically slung over his shoulder. The caption read, "The Master of the Puppets". 

Willow laughed uproariously. So much so that Angela came in to see what she was laughing at. Angela, who had met Angel a couple of times but had never seen his goofy side, couldn't make up her mind of how to react just stood there dumbfounded. The pictures were of everyday stuff with a puppet version of Angel doing them, (with the exception of one or two screen caps of the show). 

After a minute of shocked silence Angela started laughing too. This brought in Zack Addy, Dr. Jack Hodgins, and Dr. Temperance Brennan into the room. They looked over Willow's shoulder. Hodgins was stunned because one of the lawyers that the puppet Angel was talking too looked almost like a twin. Everyone turned to look at him for an explanation.

"That must be my cousin Phil Hodgins. I had heard that he was a lawyer with some big time law firm in LA. I just didn't know it was the one your friend was in charge of," Hodgins explained. 

"He doesn't look that scary now," was Zack's response. He had been rather intimidated by the vampire with a soul.

"What could have caused this?" Brennan asked, curious about what could cause someone to suddenly become a puppet.

"I'll write to Spike for a full explanation. But off the top of my head, something mystical," Willow answered. The others soon drifted away to get back to work, so Willow replied to Buffy.

* * *

To:slayercommathe@watchers.net  
From:computerwitch@jeffersonian.edu  
Subject: The fun pictures.

Buffy thanks for those pictures. The others here heard me laughing and came into see what I was looking at and chuckled too. Well except for Dr. Brennan who wanted to know what caused this to happen. Don't tell Angel that I showed these to my fellow squints, I don't think his pride could take it. I'll print out copies for Zack to take home to Dawn.

Gotta go. I'll talk to you later.  
Willow


	18. Dreamy Illusions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow has a very interesting dream. Not set in any particular time period for Bones.

"Kiss me, my love," said a soft male voice next to her ear. Willow turned her head to look into the adoring eyes of Seeley Booth and obeyed. They were already sprawled out on the bed so that when the passion overtook them, they would not have to move. Seeley had his hand on the back of her lower leg and was slowly moving his hand gently up and down her calf. Willow had her arms wrapped around his waist with her hands clinging to his back for dear life. She was moaning softly.

With his lips right above her ear, he whispered seductively, "Oh Willow. My Willow tree. Willow."

"Willow." Angela Montenegro said as she shook Willow's shoulder. Since that didn't work, she tried again this time she shook the shoulder harder and almost shouted, "Willow Rosenberg."

Willow woke up with a start. She looked blearily around trying to shake off the illusion of the dream that still clung to her like the sweaty cotton sheets she dreamt she had been laying on. She quickly realized that she was not in some tropical vacation home, but at work in the Holographic area of the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C. Furthermore the hunk was not her boyfriend. She had a girlfriend, not a boyfriend, who would be more than a little jealous if she ever found out about Willow's dream.

"That must have been some dream, if it is taking you this long to really wake up from it," teased Angela, Willow's boss.

"It was," Willow agreed.

"Do share," encouraged Angela.

"Well, it started off innocently enough. I was on vacation in Jamaica, staying in one of those open houses on a pristine white sand beach over looking a cobalt blue ocean," Willow started hesitantly describing her dream. "Don't we have work to do?" She asked not really wanting to share the part of the dream from which she awoke.

"Not until Brennan and booth get back with the latest case. So share," Angela answered, noting that Willow blushed at the mention of the FBI Special Agent. "So, Booth made an appearance in your dream," she observed.

Willow's face reddened more, until it was almost the color of her hair. "Yeah, he did. It wasn't just a cameo, either, but a staring role," she replied. She liked her boss because usually she felt like she had a best friend like Buffy around, but there were times that she could cheerfully strangle Angela. Now was one of those times. 

Angela leaned forward, in her seat knowing that the good stuff was coming, and prodded, "And?"

"And, well, we were, uh, naked. That's all I ever intend to share about that dream," Willow rushed, hoping that Angela would drop it.

"You and Booth?! NAKED?!" Angela screeched in excitement. This was more than she was hoping for.

"Yes," Willow said still blushing.

A very male, "Ahem," came from the doorway to their workspace. Both ladies turned to find Special Agent Seeley Booth framed in doorway. He had one eyebrow raised in a question.

Willow realized what he must have heard and her face did actually turn the color of her hair.

"What was that?" Booth asked as if he were baffled by the statement that was nearly screamed at him as he walked into the Holographics area.

"N... n... nothing, sir." Willow stammered, embarrassed beyond the telling of it.

"Willow was telling me about a dream she had. Nothing to worry about," Angela explained.

"I'm glad to hear it," Booth replied, looking relieved that no one had plans to rip his clothes off then and there. Willow was still looking for the earth to open up and swallow her. Booth must have noticed her level of discomfort, because he came over and whispered for her alone to hear, "No one will ever find out about this from me. At least as long as you quit calling me sir."

"Yes , si... Sure thing Booth," Willow replied.

"Now let's get down to business," Booth said, changing the subject.


	19. A Willow the Squint Thanksgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow gives thanks.

Willow looked around the table at the assorted 'family' she had gathered since last year at the same time. There was of course Buffy and her sister Dawn, and Dawn's husband, Zack Addy. Dr. Temperance Brennan and her brother, Russ were next around the table. Dr. Brennan's FBI partner, Seeley Booth, was next. Then Willow's boss, Angela Montenegro, and Dr. Jack Hodgins, and then Dr. Camille Saroyan. Willow's girlfriend, Tori Wood completed the circle. The group was a strange mix, but it was a lively group. 

Buffy had been banned from the kitchen because of what happened several years ago when she had tried make the perfect Thanksgiving. Willow had instead taken charge of the turkey herself, and then assigned the other guests a dish to bring. The results were laid out before her. The table fairly groaned with food, and there were only eleven people to eat it all. 

Willow smiled at the group, then spoke. "I suggest that we each take a moment to say what we are thankful for this year. I'll start. I'm thankful for my job and that I have friends where I work."

"I'm thankful that we survived another year without a Hellmouth exploding," Buffy said.

Willow and Dawn nodded. Those that hadn't survived Sunnydale merely smiled. They didn't know what the Slayer meant, but knew it was important.

Dawn's turn came. "I'm thankful for my husband." She looked away and blushed.

Zack blushed as well. "I'm thankful for my wife." Everyone just smiled and nodded at that.

"I'm thankful for finding my brother," Dr. Brennan simply stated. She looked at Russ, who gave her hand a squeeze.

"I am thankful you found me too. I am also thankful for finally knowing what happened to Mom," Russ added.

It was Booth's turn next. "I'm glad I was finally able to settle things with Rebecca. She and I have finally agreed about Parker."

"Are you going to see him today?" Brennan asked.

"Yeah, Rebecca is going to bring him over tonight and he'll spend the night." Booth smiled.

"That's good," Russ said.

Angela was next. "I'm thankful that I am not the only 'normal' person in the lab any more." She looked directly at Willow. 

Willow smiled at this indication that she was appreciated.

"I'm thankful that I didn't have to be with my relatives today," Hodgins added.

Cam's turn was next. "I'm thankful to be in a state of the art lab with people I respect." 

Tori finished the circle. "I'm thankful for Willow." She smiled at Willow.

Willow blushed, then to cover her embarrassment said, "Let's eat." 

Everyone dug into the food closest to them.


	20. Monkey Bones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow asks Dr. Brennan for a favor.

Willow paced nervously in front of Dr. Temperance Brennan's office. She was waiting for Dr. Brennan to arrive at the Jeffersonian Institute. She knew how rare it was that she actually got to work before Dr. Brennan. Dr. Brennan was the quintessential workaholic so it had to be really early.

Willow had received a call from Buffy at three a.m. that morning. Buffy normally would have waited to call, but apparently Giles had researched the demon gathering planned for that night, and the Satack demon was rather nasty but could be fought with a powerful enough Wicca and a potion. Willow knew that she would be more than powerful enough, and that she had all the ingredients for the potion-- except one. That was the reason she was pacing and waiting for Dr. Brennan. While Willow did not have access to the missing ingredient, Dr. Brennan did.

After another fifteen minutes of pacing, Dr. Brennan finally showed up. She looked at Willow and motioned her into the office.

"Miss Rosenberg, is there something I can do for you?" Brennan inquired.

"Yes. I need a really big favor," Willow began, nervously.

"Well, what is it?" Brennan asked.

"I need to borrow a right thigh bone from a monkey for a couple of hours," Willow said at full speed.

"You need a monkey thigh? Why?" asked a shocked Brennan.

"I need to use it to brew a potion to fight a Satack demon. You'll get it back this afternoon in perfect condition I just need to have it in the potion while it brews sort of like a bay leaf in a soup. It gets taken out after the potion brews but before use."

"What does the Satack demon do?" Brennan asked, curiously.

"Buffy didn't say, but she was seriously wigged out. The demon is supposed to rise tonight in Las Vegas. I can teleport there and back no problem, but I need the monkey thigh and a few hours. So, can I borrow it?" Willow explained.

Brennan went to her personal store of primate specimens and pulled out a thighbone and handed it to Willow, saying, "Why don't you take the day off and return this to me tomorrow? I'll tell Angela that you were needed elsewhere today. She'll understand."

"Thanks," Willow said as she took the monkey bone and left.

* * *

For the second day in a row Willow was waiting for Dr. Brennan when she arrived at her office. Willow was carrying a box with her. Brennan again waved Willow into the office as soon as she had unlocked the door.

"Thank you for the loan of the monkey bone," Willow said as she placed the box on Brennan's desk. She pulled the lid off. "See? Totally unharmed." 

Brennan carefully picked the bone out of the tissue paper bed inside the box. "I can see that. How did it go?"

"Oh, fine. The potion worked like a charm. I said a little chant, threw the potion into the middle of the ritual, and poof, no more Satack demons. There was an ick factor of about fourteen, though, as they exploded in a rain of yellow and green goo all over me, Buffy, and about half a dozen junior slayers. Fortunately, Giles and Andrew had some industrial strength demon goo remover back at the warehouse/school they run. So everything is of the good," Willow said, with a slight shudder at the memory of the goo.

"That's good. I guess," Brennan replied..

"I need to go tell Angela that I'm here and ready to work so I'll just be going now," Willow said as she walked out the door. "Thanks again."


End file.
